IGN Playlist: Werewolf Movies

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Celebrate the arrival of The Wolfman with eight other werewolf classics.

By Phil Pirrello & Jesse Schedeen

Ever since Lon Chaney Jr. first donned the fur and makeup, werewolves have been a permanent fixture in Hollywood. Something about the idea of ordinary humans transforming into savage, bloodthirsty beasts captures the imagination. As the years have gone by, dozens of new werewolf films have come and gone, each doing their best to perfect the art of the transformation and bring something new to a familiar horror formula.

The latest in this long line is The Wolfman, a remake of the Universal classic starring Benicio Del Toro at his wolfish best. To celebrate the newest member of Hollywood's werewolf pantheon, we've devoted the newest IGN Playlist to our favorite werewolf movies of the last few decades. If you crave werewolf, these eight films will deliver all the hairy, gory goodness you could ask for.

If Wolf gets anything right, it's that it embraces the irony of casting Jack Nicholson as a werewolf. Mike Nichols' eager-to-please thriller never forgets to remind the audience that Jack is, well, "Jack". That turns out to be both the movie's curse and blessing. But the movie, written by Wesley Strick and author Jim Harrison, based on Harrison's excellent novella, wisely decides to hide the more macabre and soap opera elements behind the story of a put-upon book editor slowly becoming more of an Alpha Male as he transforms into a werewolf. What is even more novel is the fact that the movie never says the word "werewolf," despite spending 125 minutes circling the idea.

A still from As Good As It Gets.

Equal parts thriller and drama, with some great comic timing at the hands of the supporting cast, headlined by Frasier's David Hyde Pierce, Wolf is far from a perfect movie, but it is as good as above-average genre entertainment can get.

Though he is mostly known for his classic comedies (Animal House and Blues Brothers), director and writer John Landis brought us a truly special horror-comedy in 1981 that still holds up to this day. Winning multiple awards for the incredible make-up, An American Werewolf in London has gained a cult following due to its special effects, unforgiving horror story, and the-wink-and-a-nod comedy that goes with it all. In fact, the effects were so effective, that after viewing the film Michael Jackson commissioned Landis to write and direct a few music videos for him, including what is considered to be the best music video ever created: "Thriller."

"Not the face! Not the face!"

If you are too young to have seen this movie, we thoroughly suggest that you rent it ASAP to bolster your nerd cred. The story of the film follows two young Americans as they backpack across Europe. After getting stuck in and attempting to leave an off-the-grid region of England, the two get attacked by a giant werewolf. From this point on you will just have to see it to believe it, as Landis pulls no punches with the gore, making it tough sometimes to laugh at the dark comedy found within.

Don't let anyone tell you differently – Wolfman's got nards. That, along with never trusting your striptease-prone sister when she says she's a virgin, are just two truisms The Monster Squad delivers, in between all the PG-13 mayhem.

"Not the nards! Not the nards!"

Dracula has assembled the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Testes McLycan, Frankenstein and the Mummy to hunt down Van Helsing's diary, and a powerful amulet that can open a portal and let evil reign. The only thing standing in Vlad's way? Sean's "Stephen King Rules" T-Shirt, a crew of tween monster movie enthusiasts and Scary German Guy.

Nevermind that Drac would have had an easier time using his monsters to scare the world under his control than trying to hunt down a magical MacGuffin. And nevermind that Dracula secures a bitchin' ride and spread moments after being air-dropped by Richie April. The movie is full of awesome, nostalgic win. Drink it in.

A team of British soldiers, on a training mission deep within the Scariest Woods Ever Made, become the prey of a pack of werewolves eager to get their redrum on. Now, with a bigger budget and better effects, this could have been the greatest action-horror ever made. Instead, it's one of the best midnight movies ever.

A very fuzzy stuntman terrorizes the Dog Soldiers.

Director Neil Marshall, who gave us The Descent, cut his teeth on this low-budget horror movie with solid emphasis on character and action. The special effects are very stuntman-in-a-suit, but the movie effectively borrows from Aliens and previous genre entries to give us a new take on an old monster.